Remember
by misericordia98
Summary: Because, despite everything, it wasn't all bad. Cuteness and fluff only. /Anthology/
1. When Sarada Just Wouldn't Stop Crying

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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_A/N: So I've been writing various random cute one-shots just for fun for a while, but I thought I might publish them so… Here's my collection of the cutest family ficlets I could manage to think of. Because I think people need cuteness in their lives. I hope you'll like them. (If anyone has any idea, I accept requests! My ideas are limited, I have about six-seven maximum.) I'll begin with my favorites, though._

I.

Sasuke liked to think himself sinisterly silent and deadly until he clicked the front door shut with the slowest and quietest movement and a low weeping resounded in the still darkness of the house.

He sighed.

Were her senses supposed to be that developed at the age of two?

Imagining his soft bed had gradually become a main activity in the last hours, on his way back to the village, and he knew it'd be somewhere in the small hours when he arrives, but he hoped to get some sleep before doing anything else.

Seems like his plans changed, he mused as he left his katana on the low cabinet next to the door and hurried straight to Sarada's room in fear that Sakura will wake up. Her crying slightly abated as he neared the crib in the dark and tried to use the element of surprise to quiet her. After he tucked her into her blanket, she calmed down and he joyfully headed for his own bed… and the low weeping returned.

He nailed in his place and sharply turned around to see her discerned silhouette up and fisting the wooden railing. His Sharingan glowed red and she hushed, perhaps more intrigued by the vivid color rather than intimidated. For one long moment he considered using a technique of some sort, but then he discarded the thought rapidly.

He'd never use anything on her. _Never. _

The intrigue of the color show didn't last, though. She started crying again.

Sasuke took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Alright. Chances were if he left the room, not only he wasn't going to get any decent sleep, but Sakura would wake up as well. And then he'd have three angry individuals under one roof. His exhaustion had set a different plan.

Sarada's screech coursed through him painfully and he returned to her, slightly kneeling to get his eyes on her level. He could see the faint warmth that her small body emanated and the streams of chakra running through her.

"You are sent to punish me, aren't you?" He whispered, more to himself, and let her tear at his hair for a while. Then he sighed again.

_I guess there is no other way. _

He leapt over the fence and bend enough to lie inside the crib, too tired to acknowledge the little gasps of interest Sarada gave out. Her tiny hands roamed over his face and clothes, unseeing and faltered sleepily over his chest, fighting the sobs that suffocated her till then.

Sasuke was repeating to himself that it was a terrible idea to indulge her like that and that he'll wake up sore _(if he even gets to sleep in the first place)_. Her breathing calmed down quickly and he carefully pulled his own cloak over both of them, closing his eyes.

Well, it could've been worse.

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_"Shh, no. No, no, shh. Papa is tired, let him sleep. No!" _

The muffled voice (that he couldn't quite discern for one long moment) came with a low snickering somewhere close to his face. Then a few moderately light buffets landed on him as he came to his senses and squinted his eyes open. She hit him again by the time he had refocused on reality, where he was and who he was with.

_"Sarada, no! Stop!" _

Sakura's whispering broke out into laughter when he realized Sarada was sitting up next to him, busy beating him awake and having the time of her life doing it. Then he blinked tiredly, his gaze shifting to his laughing wife.

"I'm sorry, I tried to stop her." Sakura shook her head. "Welcome back, _anata_."

"It's fine."

"Should I take her away?"

Sasuke eyed Sarada as she tried her best to touch the inside of his left eye, deeply fascinated by the Rinnegan's pattern. That, or maybe she just tried to blind him for fun.

He huffed.

"No."

Sakura held his eyes for a moment, filling up with warmth. Then her gaze shifted to their daughter.

"You look _very _comfortable in there, I might even serve you two babies breakfast here. You hungry?"

Sasuke nodded and she chuckled at his weary reply, taking away with an assurance that breakfast was coming soon and a warning to Sarada to (please) not kill her father in the meantime. She didn't, even though it kind of looked like it.

"You like my eyes?" He mouthed quietly, observing her as she explored the interesting violet, her fingers violently trying to get a hold on his eyelid and peer behind it. Who needs genjutsu torture when you have this?

Sasuke heaved up to a sitting position, groaning at the ache in his muscles, then took out a small plush shuriken out of his pocket, and offered it to her. Ever since he saw it on the market of Iwa, he knew she'd love it.

Sarada reached for his hand and grabbed it with a squeak. Sasuke used the moment that she was distracted to pull her onto him again.

"I used to wake up my brother with fists as well, but don't tell anyone." He spoke in her ear and she turned away from her plush shuriken, goggle-eyed and surprised as if she understood perfectly what he said and found the information to be ultimately scandalous.

The sight got him unprepared and his breath snatched into breathy laughter.

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_A/N:__ Thanks for reading!__ Can we just take a moment to imagine Sakura walking up to a bundled, sleeping Sasuke and Sarada in her crib in the morning? Thank you._

_P.S. I can't promise any update schedule on this because I go with the flow and my inspiration comes at random._

_P.S. Yes, this ain't the SS fanfic I planned to publish._

_P.S. No, it's not the NejiTen fanfic I am writing either. _

_P.S. Yeah, I know, but I can't help myself._


	2. When Temari Gave Birth

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

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II.

Temari couldn't believe her eyes.

The joy that filled up her heart as she watched the baby in her arms, sound asleep and calm. With tiny bits of black hair on his head. Not only that he looked like a Nara, but he also acted like a Nara as well. All good, then. Mission complete.

Sakura chuckled, dragging her attention as she walked into the hospital room with an empty wheelchair.

"You look a little concerned, Temari. What is it?"

Temari glanced down at the baby for a second and smiled.

"Well, I would've asked if something's wrong with him if I didn't know the father."

"Yeah, about that… he looks ten times worse than you." Sakura neared her and offered help with the baby, while Temari sat in the wheelchair with difficulty.

It's been nearly an hour since she gave birth, but they didn't let Shikamaru in _or _tell him anything. She insisted on it because she knew he tended to be… excessively worried when it came to things like that. He said he wasn't, but she knew him well enough to know better. It was better to spare him the blood and the yelling, and everything that came with birth.

All she required of him was to stay still and quiet and wait for her patiently. Preferably without falling asleep in the process. She swore to beat the hell out of him if she finds him asleep.

"Worse, you say?" Temari puffed. "All _he_ needed to do was sit on a bench."

Sakura didn't reply, but chuckled quietly instead, pushing the wheelchair out of the room and through the private corridor. Temari furrowed at Sakura's mysterious demeanor, but she said nothing herself as they moved slowly between the white walls of the hospital.

Sakura stopped the wheelchair right after the next corner and leaned in, pointing at the far distance so that Temari could see. Her furrow faded a little as she saw three familiar figures in the distance. Two of them standing up and talking to the third calmingly. Shikamaru was sitting with his hands cupping his face.

Her heart shrunk in some strange, bittersweet way as she smiled, touching Sakura's leg to let her know she needed to get closer.

"That's a normal reaction too." Sakura threw in as they neared, with trembling amusement in her voice.

Temari blushed deeper and deeper with every second. He looked so awfully cute like that. If she didn't know hormones were whirling inside her, she'd think something truly messed up her mind. Clearly, those weren't the best moment of his life.

First turned Gaara and Kankuro and their faces lit up with bright happiness at the sight of her and the baby, but they immediately looked back Shikamaru who was still very much upset and unsuspecting of her presence.

Temari bit her lip as she used her free hand to shift closer and touch his hair lovingly.

"Shikamaru, you have a son."

Her words startled him and he straightened up, fazed at the closeness he wasn't aware of by now. Temari carefully took the small bundle in her lap and handed it to him with a wide smile. Eyes red and hands shaking, Shikamaru took it and stared down at it at a complete loss. The sadness and worry on him faded with every silent second he used to peer into the small human in his arms.

"Oh wow, is he supposed to look so much like me?" He said, at last, and the other four attending burst into laughter.

"Any ideas for a name?" Gaara kneeled next to Shikamaru, to peer at the newly-born with curiosity.

"I'd say something like The Bringer of Dawn or The-"

"Kankuro." Gaara glanced at him judgmentally.

"Sorry."

"_Shika_…" Shikamaru started, looking up to his wife and making her chuckle. His harsh emphasize was comical against Kankuro's gushing enthusiasm.

Temari was well-aware that pair of syllables was going to be a part of the name, no matter a girl or a boy. It was unquestionable and she did not mind in the least because it sounded beautiful to her. All the more, she knew Shikamaru would like to include it, out of respect to his clan and his own father who would've liked him to keep the tradition. The ending was up to her, though, and she shrugged, unsure what will be a good fit.

"Dai?" Temari finished, with a questioning intonation.

"I'm gonna go put that down in the papers before anyone else comes up with something ridiculous," Sakura announced, backing away from them. "I'll come to see you again in a minute."

"Shikadai." Gaara squeezed Temari's hand warmly and she felt her eyes blur.

"Thank you for coming to Konoha… you didn't have to, you know."

"Yes, _we did have to_." Kankuro confuted, folding hands. "How many times in my life I'm going to become an uncle, huh?"

Temari shook her head.

"And did _you _come here to celebrate becoming an uncle?" She turned to Gaara, with a menacing undertone and a few more blinks of her eyes than necessary.

The nerve on those selfish bastards. Did no one care for the massive pain _she_ went through?

"Uhm…" He wrested his hand off her tight grip with a nervous smile. "I actually came for the party."

The glare she gave him was enough to have him back away.

"Alright, guys. That's enough." Shikamaru stood up, his eyes strictly on the baby. "I'm pretty tired so I'll go home to take a nap with my son. You can stay with your sister, I lend her to you for the day."

Temari's hands slowly curled into fists as she ground her teeth.

_"Shikamaru Nara, how dare you!?"_

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_A/N: How close am I to the approximate true events involving Shikadai's birth, though? _


	3. When Tobirama Lost His Brother

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

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III.

He stared angrily at the tent's ceiling and refused to acknowledge the warmth that streamed down his face. The wind howled outside and he could feel the fabric of his makeshift shelter shiver at the cold and harsh blows that reiterated outside.

The pain was nothing like any other pain he had ever felt. Hollow pain, pain that carved a deeper and wider hole in him and forced him to feel things he didn't need to. He didn't need the thick sorrow that drowned him, those wretched pains in his heart, the words of courage and valor he was used to hearing as an echo next to him and now missing, the victorious laughter that he expected to hear any moment, coming through the tent's entrance. Those were no more. The only thing left was the suffocated, faint flicker of his spirit lamp, casting dancing shadows against the shifting cover over his head.

It wasn't the usual hearty laughter that came through the entrance, no, but something else came through it entirely. Something extremely tiny, with two sticky, short ponytails from each side of its head, and pink union suit for sleeping. It faltered on its way in and he turned his head to see it approaching with a lively sparkle in its hazel eyes.

He brushed off his tears before she could notice them and looked away. Who let that child outside on her own, at this time of the night?

"Um, grandpa Tobi-Tobi, are you sad?" Her quiet squeaky voice came from nearer than he anticipated and made him flinch. She was right beside him.

"No, I'm not. Get back to Mito's tent." Tobirama scolded, facing her.

As short and round as she was, now her head was leaning over his, thoroughly checking his features at the changing light of the flame. Her hand carefully lifted up the locks of ivory hair that hid his forehead (as if the answers she sought depended on the full view of his face) and then slowly put them back on his face, fondling it back to its previous state with comical seriousness.

Tobirama was about to speak when she stepped closer and wrapped her tiny hands around his neck. Then, just as quickly she let go and looked at him intently, to capture any aftereffect.

"What the hell are you doing here, Tsunade?" Tobirama uttered, trying to find logic in her behavior. This child was more annoying than anything, he didn't even know what his brother loved so much about it.

Tsunade ignored his piercing gaze, her foreigners touching shyly. She stepped away, frightened by his menacing tone.

"Um…"

"Tell me." He ordered, heaving up a bit.

"Grandpa Hashi-Hashi told me to hug grandpa Tobi-Tobi if I ever see he's sad." Tsunade recited quickly and turned around.

The seconds extended as he saw her walk away in fear, his brain putting her words together over and over until they conveyed the right meaning to him, hit him with a full force and made him feel bad for acting as he did.

Tobirama's eyes widened and before he could miss his chance, he heard himself call her name back, just before she leaves. He couldn't quite control the lump in his throat or the blur in his eyes, but he could fix his unjust anger. She did not deserve any of it.

Tsunade turned around upon hearing her name and looked at him in wonder. He gestured her to come closer again. Tsunade was more than happy to oblige, running her way back to him. Tobirama tapped the mattress, on which he lied and offered her a place under his thick blanket. One that she gladly took.

She snuggled up with a snicker and looked up to him with expectancy. He eyed her suspiciously before pulling the blanket over her body.

"What?"

A second after he asked, it occurred to him that she actually acted like she's done that before. Which meant Hashirama had probably let her slip in his bedroom almost every night and now that he was gone she missed that habit. That explained her bold adventure to his own tent. And the expectancy in her eyes now.

"Grandpa Hashi-Hashi always told me a story."

"I figured." Tobirama sighed. "What stories did he usually tell you?"

"Funny stories about grandpa Tobi-Tobi when he cried because grandpa Hashi-Hashi ate all cookies in the kitchen or when grandpa Tobi-Tobi fell on his nose!" Tsunade giggled.

"So, he talked about me, huh?" Tobirama couldn't help but smile. "Making fun of me, is that it?"

Tsunade nodded, biting at her thumb with guilt and amusement at the same time. The tent's entrance shifted again and a worried, worn-out face showed up. Mito met Tobirama's gaze from across and then her tired eyes fell on Tsunade. Hair loose and violet circles around her usually warm eyes, she looked like she's been crying.

"Did he ever told you that once I took an ember and painted funny things on his face while he slept?" Tobirama drawled.

"No!" Tsunade let out something of a loud gasp and a squeak, sitting up. "Will you tell me, grandpa?"

Tobirama smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Fine, but you have to keep it quiet. Otherwise, grandma will find you and take you back to your bed."

"She won't find me." Tsunade grabbed the blanket and pulled it over her head, leaving only the head uncovered.

"Yeah," Tobirama met Mito's eyes again and she smiled at him before backing away in the dark. "So. It was a fine, spring day. Many, many years ago. I was four years old."

"Like me!" Tsunade intervened and he took a breath. It was gonna be a long night.

"Like you."

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_A/N: Oh my gosh, I don't know if I like baby!Tsunade or soft!Tobirama more. Thanks for reading!_


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